The 55th annual honors will announce nominees April 25 and present the winners (announced May 9) with awards at a ceremony at Sardi's Restaurant, May 26. The awards, known as the first awards of the season, are decided upon by an group of writers "covering New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway."

The organization named photo journalist and long-time OCC member Aubrey Reuben as its new acting president in February. Reuben has served as a theatre critic for 15minutesmagazine.com, a columnist for theatrelovers.com, a celebrity photographer for The New York Post, Playbill, Playbill.com, The Hampton Sheet and Black-Tie International.

Marjorie Gunner, the organization's president for 25 years will take on the title of president emeritus and will continue to serve on the organization's executive board and nominating committee.

Last year saw several tight races resulting in ties including in the Off-Broadway Musical category (Johnny Guitar and The Thing about Men) and for Featured Actor in a Musical (John Cariani and Michael Cerveris).

The 2003-2004 Outer Critics Circle Awards winners were as follows: OUTSTANDING BROADWAY PLAY
I Am My Own Wife

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY MUSICAL
Wicked

OUTSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Intimate Apparel

OUTSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL(tie)
Johnny Guitar
The Thing About Men

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Henry IV

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Wonderful Town

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Frank Langella, Match

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Eileen Atkins, The Retreat From Moscow

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Hugh Jackman, The Boy From Oz

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Donna Murphy, Wonderful Town

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Ned Beatty, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Audra McDonald, A Raisin in the Sun

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL(tie)
John Cariani, Fiddler on the Roof
Michael Cerveris, Assassins

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Karen Ziemba, Never Gonna Dance

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Jefferson Mays, I Am My Own Wife

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Jack O'Brien, Henry IV

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Joe Mantello, Wicked

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
Kathleen Marshall, Wonderful Town

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
Eugene Lee, Wicked

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Susan Hilferty, Wicked

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Assassins

JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Lynn Nottage, Intimate Apparel

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Outstanding Ensemble Performance and Puppet Artistry
Avenue Q